Locked-up associates of the Kinahan cartel are starting to fight amongst one another as the criminal gang starts to implode, the Irish Sunday Mirror has learned.
As the “noose” is tightening around the Kinahan Organised Crime Group, the once powerful criminal outfit is now crumbling as key members leave in high numbers.
Tensions are said to have reached boiling point in recent weeks at Dublin’s Mountjoy Prison, where most of the jailed members or associates of the gang are housed.
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A source told the Mirror how once common allies are now “turning on each other”.
The source said: “In the last few weeks alone there have been a lot of associates of the Kinahan cartel saying they no longer want to be part of it anymore.
“Remaining members who deem themselves loyal are turning on these inmates as it’s seen as a huge mark of disrespect. There have been a lot of punch-ups and fights.
“There is also understood to have been orders sent out in recent months threatening anyone who is contemplating leaving the gang of the serious repercussions they face.
“However, this serious threat doesn’t seem to be deterring them at all.
“Things are starting to get very messy in Mountjoy, and prisoners who were once very close are turning on each other.
“The tension is as high as it has ever been and is only going to continue to get worse as more Kinahan gang members jump ship as the cartel itself continues to lose power.”
US Ambassador to Ireland Claire Cronin announced in April 2022 that authorities in the United States were offering a reward of up to $15million (€13.7m) for information that led to the arrest or conviction of three senior Kinahan cartel members.
The unprecedented move called for information that would apprehend Daniel Kinahan, Christy Kinahan Snr and Christy Kinahan Jnr.
The bounty for each cartel member was set at $5m (€4.5m).
A raft of restrictions were also imposed on the Kinahans and a number of their associates, who the US authorities accused of “smuggling deadly narcotics, including cocaine” to Europe.
Just this week, Ambassador Cronin said significant progress has been made over the last 15 months.
Ms Cronin said: “I think we have seen since last April when we made that announcement, which was a State Department-headed programme and we worked in conjunction with our partners in law enforcement, we have seen for lack of a better word, the noose tightening a little bit around the Kinahans.
“There have been some recent arrests. It has been a great example of collaboration both between our government but between the multiple agencies that have been involved in this. We have a recent arrest in Spain. I think you’ll continue to see that.”
Just this month, key Kinahan associate Liam Byrne was arrested in Spain while eating at a restaurant in Mallorca.
He was arrested on foot of an NCA warrant which claims the thug is believed to be involved in the supply and acquisition of firearms.
And last month, Spanish authorities also arrested 22-year-old Jack Kavanagh, the son of Thomas ‘Bomber’ Kavanagh, on behalf of the NCA but he is fighting extradition, like Byrne.
